Prepare for Separation

 We have been hearing the trumpet blow for a while now, through many prophetic ministries who are proclaiming: “come out of her my people”, and “be separate/holy as I am holy (that is manifest the nature of your new creation life).” But is there more to this than meets the eye?  As I look back at the history of our forefathers and the many situations that they have been involved in, the one thing that stands out is that whenever YHVH was ready to gather His people He would begin by calling them to separate themselves from the nations, cultures, and religions that surrounded them.  The people, however, always seemed to need help when it came right down to carrying out YHVH’s will.  And from whence did their help come?  From their Elohim, of course, who made use of the very nations and governments to whom they were joined.  In almost each of those occurrences, persecutions would break out against YHVH’s people and force them to leave.  Likewise, if we are now nearing the time of the great exodus of Ephraim, the second stick, could it be that the changes in government policies regarding religious rights, and all other reports of governments taking away rights based on “what is good for you”, are just another form of YHVH’s trumpets urging His people to prepare for their separation? We can no longer depend or put our trust in a Greek form of government, or in any other earthly regime. Our trust must be in our Elohim; anything else would constitute idolatry. 

 Another method of shaking us out of our comfort zone is seen in situations where brothers are rising up against brothers, in the form of outbreaks of enmity, strife, jealousy, hatred, and murder (especially with the tongue).  This is why in his letter James asks us to pray for wisdom.  We are living in a time in which we are in desperate need of the wisdom that is from above. We also need to have our senses exercised in differentiating good from evil, as mentioned in Hebrews 5:14 (especially in regard to our own thoughts).   James addresses this very thing in his letter to the twelve tribes of Israel:  “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of Elohim, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (1:5).  James’ letter seems to focus on this topic all the way through.  Without this wisdom, we will not be able to discern what is of the Spirit of YHVH, and what is of the spirit of this world (that is, that which is of the devil).  However, we must ask in faith, and without doubt, otherwise, we will be tossed and driven like the waves of the sea and end up with nothing but double-mindedness and become unstable in all our ways (ref. James 1:5-8). How is it that we end up in this condition?   

 Here is James’ answer to the above question:  “You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.  You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.   Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with Elohim? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of YHVH.  Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ‘the Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘YHVH resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’  Therefore submit to Elohim. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.   Draw near to Elohim and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.  Humble yourselves in the sight of YHVH, and He will lift you up'” (James 4:2-10). 

 Why was James so hard on those poor believers, who were actually Torah-observant?   These were the very ones who were also busy judging and criticizing one another.  “Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother, speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge”  (James 4:11).  The amazing thing is that one may perform all 613 commandments, but if he judges another over these issues he condemns himself, as there is only one judge and lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy (ref. James 4:12).

 The apostle’s warnings are not condemning statements, but rather their purpose is to shake us up into realizing that there is another spiritual entity that is influencing our thinking, causing us to act out his evil intents and ways, and comes to us by using temptations which play upon our desires/lusts.  This is why James tells us to resist the devil (causing him to flee).   We must keep a keen eye out for the spirit of this world.  When the apostles are talking about the “world” they mean “adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like” (Gal. 5:19-21). If we have any of these in our hearts, we lie against the truth and we actually manifest the wisdom that is not from above, but that which is earthly, sensual, demonic, and contains every other evil thing (ref. James 3:14-16).

 The wisdom that James was asking the 12 tribes to pray for is the “wisdom that is from above which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:17-18).  As we know, the whole creation still groans, waiting for the revealing of the Sons of Elohim to come to maturity.  This “revealing” will only happen when He who is the “wisdom from above” fully governs our lives.  Righteousness, peace, and joy will then be made known to this groaning creation.